Sharrows in June, Los Angeles Finally Gets On Board

The Sharrows Pilot Project has been an ongoing campaign for LACBC, nearly five years running now, as we jumped hurdle after hurdle working to clear the pilot through the LADOT. Last year City Council President Eric Garcetti championed the issue and the idea began to take off. Now in 2010 we will finally see Los Angeles city streets catch up to other surrounding cities and start implementing sharrows to help create safer and more bike- friendly streets.

Yesterday, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed, a contractual agreement between the funders of the pilot project-SCAG (Southern California Association of Government) and the David Bohnett Foundation-and LACBC and LADOT, the two groups doing the work for the pilot. The MOU outlines the scopes of work, the budgets and a timeline to which all parties are held accountable. LADOT was given a notice to proceed to commence work on the pilot beginning yesterday, Monday, March 1st.

Due to LADOT's perception that Los Angeles is a city unlike any other city currently using sharrows, one of the pilot's main purpose is to study which streets in LA are best suited for implementation. As with any other pilot, there is preliminary data that needs to be gathered before the paint hits the ground. But we are happy to announce that we will be seeing sharrows on LA city streets in mid June!

Though we can't publicize the locations of the sharrows until they have been finalized by the end of March, we can expect 5-10 locations. LACBC will be conducting bike counts and on-street surveys of bicyclists before and after sharrows are implemented. We will also be developing and distributing educational fliers and posters to analyze the impact of how "supplemental educational components" affect bicyclists' understanding of sharrows and their correct usage of the roadway.

With all the work to be done, we will be looking for volunteers to help out in ways similar to the great assistance we got with the first ever bike count earlier last year. Please contact Aurisha@la-bike.org if you are interested in being a part of the sharrows pilot project.

Good news! Is East Hollywood Neighborhood Council (which had approved funding for this) still a part of the project?

For a pilot location (other than the list already published on Streetsblog last August) I’d reccommend the places on Eagle Rock Blvd where there are gaps in the bike lane due to right-turn only lanes – northbound at York ( http://tr.im/QnYx ) and southbound at Ave 36 ( http://tr.im/QnZO )

http://www.la-bike.org Dorothy Le

exciting!!!!!

http://www.livablestreets.com/people/jass jass

Ah yes, the classic “this city is unlike the other 200 cities that have implemented x, we must run our own pilot”.

Such an enormous waste of time and money.

http://www.livablestreets.com/people/ubrayj02 Umberto Brayj

Watch out for the paint! It’s a trap!

http://beagreencommuter.com Sirinya Tritipeskul

So exciting!

Park Czar

Unless they found other another funding source, EHo has been kept out of the loop recently. East Hollywood approved funding sharrows so long as they are implemented in East Hollywood. We shall see….

http://lacreekfreak.wordpress.com JoeLinton

1 month to go to LA’s sharrows!

Hank

FUCKING FINALLY. Thank you LACBC and everyone in the political circles who hammered and hammered at the droids in LADOT. We have to KEEP HAMMERING at Michelle Mowery, Rita Robinson the Mayor the City Council and pummel these people with an ugly stick!

Word On The Street

“With 6 to 7 million cars registered in LA County, it's really laughable to hear the supposedly most progressive thinkers around on the topic go for reducing the number of autos by a mere 100,000 by 2020! Why not 3.5 million? Cut the damn things in half.”